Life After Padfoot
by DoctorHolmesWinchester
Summary: This is the story of Remus Lupin: From Godric's Hollow up until death. WolfStar appears later on. *Note* Non canon events will occur. Feel free to review or follow so I know people are actually reading this :)
1. Godric's Hollow

Remus Lupin was woken in the middle of the night by a tapping on his window. As he looked outside, he saw an owl clutching a letter in his beak. A pit of dread formed in his stomach as he slowly opened up the letter, after watching the owl fly away.

_Moony,_

_I am writing this letter to you with the hopes that you receive it before the news spreads. _

_It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of this tragedy. Prongs and Evans are dead._

Remus stopped reading. There was no way he could believe it. It was just the other day he saw two of his best friends, smiling and playing with Harry. But it was recognisably Dumbledore's handwriting. He tried to read on but the tears in his eyes blurred the words.

_Voldemort had discovered their location and killed them but a few hours ago. In this tragedy, there is at least one good thing that came out of it. Young Harry is still alive. His mother sacrificed herself, and in doing so, protected him from Voldemorts attack. Indeed, it was Harry that Voldemort was after._

He clenched his fist, the pain of his nails digging into his palm temporarily distracting him from his heart ripping in half. They were dead. And all because Voldemort wanted to kill Harry. How he wished Harry had never been born.

No, no he didn't. In that moment, he hated himself more than ever. It wasn't Harry's fault at all, he was just a child.

_In case this letter is intercepted, I regret I cannot inform you of his whereabouts. Do not fear, where he will be place, he will be as safe as can be. The killing curse aimed for Harry rebounded. Voldemort has been critically injured, but do not think he is defeated. His ego has taken a blow, but given time, he will rise to power once more._

_Dumbledore_

Remus crumpled up the letter and grabbed his wand. He apparated to Godric's Hollow and slowly made his way over to the Potters' house. There were muggles all around as he tried to make his way to the ruins. A large yellow vehicle with flashing white lights was located near their house, with 2 black bags shaped vaguely like people placed inside. He heard muggles chattering. "I heard it was a gas leak". "Poor things, they must have suffocated". The muggle authorities were keeping people away,but he merely evaded them. The pressure on his chest increased the closer he got to the ruins. He saw where the spell ricochet, as that whole part of the house had blown apart. Remus fell to his knees, distraught. Tears poured from his eyes as he fully registered his loss. At least he would be able to find comfort amongst Peter and Sirius...


	2. The Funeral

It was just a few days after seeing the destruction caused by Voldemort at Godric's Hollow when Remus learned of more devastating news. He was hoping to find some comfort amongst the other Marauders, but instead, he found out that Sirius betrayed Lily and James and that he murdered Peter. Remus decided then that he would never forgive Black's betrayal, and if Remus ever got his hands on him, he would end Black's life.

Remus got a box and went through his house. He packed up every item that reminded him of his friends, or of Sirius Black, and put the box away in his attic. It was too painful to stand to see them.

He put on his best suit and pocketed his wand. Remus looked in the mirror, saddened by what he saw. It was as if he had aged years overnight. He sighed and left the house.

On the way to the funeral, Remus got a bouquet of flowers, lilies. He drove in silence, thinking of everything that had transpired over the past couple of days. Remus tried to imagine his (ex) best mate callously murdering Peter, but he couldn't conjure up an image, it just didn't make sense. Not that it mattered, as his heart was hardened against any feelings of worry or compassion for Black as he would have his trial. Remus knew that the most fitting punishment for Black would be an Azkaban sentence. He deserved no mercy.

Well, Black deserved just enough to not have the Dementor's Kiss, but only so he could live with his guilt, just like Remus would have to live with his pain.

Remus stayed at Lily and James' grave until after everyone had left. He gripped the lilies in his hand and walked over. It was a shining new grave, with the words "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death". Reading it, Remus laughed bitterly. "How can you defeat death? It would seem to be the one enemy you cannot defeat", he said to himself, placing the flowers on their grave.

"I've never been much good at this sort of thing, funerals" he started, wiping a tear from his eye. "i s'pose it would be easier if… someone was here with me. You lot were the best of us, especially you Lily. Oh, Dumbledore never told me where Harry went to. I'm sure he's in good hands, but… I can't s-" Remus broke down finally, his tears soaking into the freshly turned soil. "Even if I could… he's too much like you. Seeing him look just like you James, 'cept with Lily's… eyes. I- I just can't. I know you understand" He curled up, crying silently, just laying next to their grave. "You two won't be lonely tonight, I'll stay with you." He pulled his coat closer as snow started to fall. It's too sad of a time to be so beautiful of a night,he thought to himself. Even with the snow falling, he can't bear to produce a simple heating spell. Perhaps he'll just die of hypothermia. Oh, the irony of that. The only one of his friends to have a 'normal' death. even if he is the most abnormal of them all. Remus' eye closed, as he started to dream of being reunited with his friends once again.


	3. A Cup of Tea For Three

The crackling of a fire woke Remus up. His head felt full of fluff, but he could pick up some voices, although he was too tired to decipher them. He sat up slowly, as he saw a figure walk towards him, and he reached for his wand.

"There's no need for that, Remus" a man said sadly.

"Dumble...dore?" Remus asked, confused, and continued to try to sit up, the man got clearer and he saw that it was, indeed, his old professor.

"What were you thinking, Remus? Twenty one years old and you were going to just throw your life away?", he heard McGonagall said disappointedly. Even if she wasn't his professor anymore, he didn't want to disappoint her.

"Professors, I don't understand… what's going on? How did I end up here" already figuring he was at Hogwarts, Remus just wanted some answers.

Dumbledore sat next to the infirmary bed that Remus was in. "I knew about Lily and James' funeral, and I wanted to check on you. However, you were not home, so I came to the graveyard to see if you were there. I found a young man white with snow and near death."

After a long silence, Remus spoke, "Well, sir, to be fair, I didn't expect the weather to be so dismal."

Dumbledore gave him a sad, pitying smile. "Oh, but did you?" he said to himself, so quietly, Remus thought that Dumbledore might have been talking to himself.

"Well, Mr. Lupin, that is still no excuse." McGonagall spoke angrily. She softened a little, "We understand you are grieving, but, as I said earlier, you can't go throwing your life just need… a break. These past couple of days have been hard on you"

"Why, yes, I would say so," he snapped at her, "I think I would know better than anyone else."

"Remus.." Dumbledore warned.

Remus sat back against the pillows, "Sorry professor," he saw the tears in her eyes and knew she was just as affected by all of their deaths as he had been. "All they could find of him was…" he whispered to himself, still in shock.

"A finger", Dumbledore finished, quietly.

McGonagall ran out of the room. When she came back, her eyes were red-rimmed and she brought tea for the three of them. They sat in silence, digesting the events of the past few days.

"So, erm, Professor, what happened to Harry," Remus asked awkwardly.

Dumbledore put down his cup of tea. "I'm afraid I can't give any details, incase some Death Eater gets their hands on you, but I will say he is with his aunt and uncle."

"Lily's sister? The muggle?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yes, but do not be so concerned, they will take care of him" Dumbledore explained, to which McGonagall snorted, derisively. "Minerva, we have discussed this already."

Remus sighed, "Professor, I don't understand. Why did Black (saying his first name had become too painful) kill Peter, when it was me he distrusted? None of this makes any sense."

"I don't suppose it ever will make sense, Remus. But if Sirius Black thought you were on the same side as him, I suppose that would explain why."

Remus froze, "Sir, I don't understand…"

"They never told you, but the Potter's had a Secret Keeper; SIrius. One must assume Sirius informed Voldemort of their whereabouts. Perhaps, he thought Peter would inform the Ministry of what transpired that night, so he killed him to keep him quiet."

The shock was evident on Remus' face. He struggled to produce a coherent thought. Guilt coursed through him. "If only they trusted me more, I could have protected Lily and James. Harry...he still would have his parents. This is truly my fault."

Dumbledore studied him for a few minutes. "Remus, surely you must understand that this is not your was nothing you could have done. Do not torment yourself over their deaths. Do you think that your friends would wish for you to live your life like that?"

Head pounding, Remus stood up and grabbed his wand, stuffing it into his pocket. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I think it's time I left."


	4. The Long Ride

Remus was on the train before the students were on. He stayed in a carriage towards the rear, hoping that no students would decide to sit there. Closing his eyes, Remus settled in for a long nap.

A scuffle between some students woke him, bit he was too tired to stay up, merely grunting as he fell back to sleep. Of course, he probably should've known that he wouldn't get much more sleep, knowing his luck.

After what felt like hours, a chill crept over him, and he heard the students in the carriage with him whispering. The door slid open, and a figure he knew all too well filled the room with despair. Remus jumped up, his cloak sliding of his torso, onto the floor. A thought of James came to his mind as he cast the spell to send the Dementor away.

He looked towards the children and froze for a minute.

James

And then he saw the eyes. Lily's eyes.

It was Harry.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed a chocolate bar, breaking a piece off of it. Remus handed it to him, "eat this. It'll help."

He walked out of the carriage, saying something about seeing how long they would be before they got to Hogwarts.

It made sense, seeing Harry. Remus thought about how many years it had been. But seeing Harry for the first time in years had certainly come as a shock to Remus.

He would have to have a word with Dumbledore.


End file.
